Magical CV? I'm bewildered. What happened?

[sharpe97]

Okay, so I was doing some mild off roading Sunday evening with a couple friends, and when I say light, I mean a few hill climbs, mild crawling, and some small mud holes, nothing bad or difficult at all. I was coming off a hill and my steering wheel jerked, and I started hearing a thud from the front drivers corner, and the way it felt I knew it was a CV. So I came down to look at it and when I got underneath I looked at the outer end to see if it was bad, and it looked fine, looked at the other end, (into the diff) and it was literally popped out of the diff, and leaking gear oil. It wasn't the whole shaft out, but the big end of it that sits flush against the diff was about an inch away, and I could see what looked like the bearing housing or something. I didn't get any pictures because I was more worried about getting back to campus (30 minute drive), than I was taking pictures. Sorry guys! But from what i could tell, nothing seemed to be broken too bad, and since I didn't have all of the tools I needed, or a spare CV, I had to get back to school. Drove it very slow back out, 2wd, and nothing seemed to be completely broken. Just a shake and a small thud as the tires rotated. Pulled into the store right out of the entrance and looked again, same thing as before, and I figured i should get moving before I loose all my diff oil. Pulled onto the main road and took it nice and slow, same shake and sound as before, but when I hit about 35 mph, it stopped shaking and clunking. I kept it under 45 the whole way back, stopped and rinsed it off so I could look under it, and when I got underneath it at school, nothing was wrong. CV was back in, no leak, no popping, nothing. Checked again this afternoon and not a drop has leaked out. What the heck happened? Has this happened to anyone else?

 

[ajonesnv]

The retainer ring at the end of the CV may be bad allowing the CV to pop in and out of the diff. I would recommend pulling it apart and checking for problems.

If I know anything, trucks don't fix themselves...they usually just get worse.

 

[sharpe97]

The retainer ring at the end of the CV may be bad allowing the CV to pop in and out of the diff. I would recommend pulling it apart and checking for problems.

If I know anything, trucks don't fix themselves...they usually just get worse.

That is quite possible. It just caught me off guard because it felt like it was bombed, and then it felt completely fine again after getting it up to speed.

 

[scrap metal]

What setting is your lift up front? Sounds like it the cv axle over extended.

Do you have bump stops installed?

 

[sharpe97]

What setting is your lift up front? Sounds like it the cv axle over extended.

Do you have bump stops installed?

I've got Tundra Bilstein 5100's on the second perch from the top, and Ebaich coils in the front.

And no, I don't have any bump stops in the front. Other than what would be on there stock.

 

[nevada]

What setting is your lift up front? Sounds like it the cv axle over extended.

Do you have bump stops installed?

that's what I was thinking.

the axle popped out of the diff. while driving, it popped back into place.

it will likely happen again with the right circumstances. even with a new axle/clip installed.

might look into adding some bump stops, or otherwise controlling the down travel.

 

[ARC]

that's what I was thinking.

the axle popped out of the diff. while driving, it popped back into place.

it will likely happen again with the right circumstances. even with a new axle/clip installed.

might look into adding some bump stops, or otherwise controlling the down travel.

How are bump stops going to limit down travel?

 

[ajonesnv]

that's what I was thinking.

the axle popped out of the diff. while driving, it popped back into place.

it will likely happen again with the right circumstances. even with a new axle/clip installed.

might look into adding some bump stops, or otherwise controlling the down travel.

Be better to look into limit straps.

 

[nevada]

How are bump stops going to limit down travel?

Be better to look into limit straps.

I was thinking bump stops under the UCA, but I haven't paid close attention to how that suspension is set up, not sure if that was an option, that's why I said "or otherwise"

 

[ARC]

I was thinking bump stops under the UCA, but I haven't paid close attention to how that suspension is set up, not sure if that was an option, that's why I said "or otherwise"

Tundra shocks most have a longer extended length over stock.

 

[scrap metal]

/\True....

A 2nd gen with a bracket lift and no bump stops will pull an axle out, but I guess I dont see it happening with the 5100s on a 3rd gen during up travel.

Were you also turning the wheel when this happened? Everything tight under there?

 

[JBurt]

Do you have a diff drop? Running the 2nd perch from the top on tundra 5100's seems high. Most people run them on the bottom 2 settings.

 

[scrap metal]

I didnt notice that. I read it so quickly I thought it said 2 from the bottom!

Also... are you stock weight up front? Must sit pretty high? Did you set it that high for tire clearance?

 

[sharpe97]

that's what I was thinking.

the axle popped out of the diff. while driving, it popped back into place.

it will likely happen again with the right circumstances. even with a new axle/clip installed.

might look into adding some bump stops, or otherwise controlling the down travel.

That's the only thing I can really think of that could have happened. I just don't know how or why.

How are bump stops going to limit down travel?

Be better to look into limit straps.

/\True....

A 2nd gen with a bracket lift and no bump stops will pull an axle out, but I guess I dont see it happening with the 5100s on a 3rd gen during up travel.

Were you also turning the wheel when this happened? Everything tight under there?

I'm honestly not sure if I was turning or not at the moment it happened. It wasn't like an intermediate noise or anything, I didn't notice a sound or feeel it until I was on flat ground and started driving off.

And to my knowledge everything was tight. Put the lift on a little over s month ago, and then after a week or so went back and checked all the bolts and re-tightened.

Do you have a diff drop? Running the 2nd perch from the top on tundra 5100's seems high. Most people run them on the bottom 2 settings.

Yes, I have a 1 inch Trail Gear diff drop.

I didnt notice that. I read it so quickly I thought it said 2 from the bottom!

Also... are you stock weight up front? Must sit pretty high? Did you set it that high for tire clearance?

I'm pretty sure it is 2nd from the top, whichever it is, it's one below the highest setting. And I am at stock weight at the moment, I'm in the process of building a custom bumper, which will eventually get a winch in it. It does sit high, I believe I measured that i got about 4 inches of lift after, and yes, it was for tire clearance and to sit level with the back. It sits pretty dead on level right now, running 285/75/17's at the moment.

Pictures:

Before...

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/125901707@N02/15042274021" title="Untitled by Dakota Sharpe, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3895/15042274021_045ae16127_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Untitled"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/125901707@N02/15042273511" title="Untitled by Dakota Sharpe, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5570/15042273511_8a54a1bc9e_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Untitled"></a>


After...

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/125901707@N02/15035238861" title="Untitled by Dakota Sharpe, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5594/15035238861_40cd6b7c5b_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Untitled"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/125901707@N02/14837952555" title="image by Dakota Sharpe, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3879/14837952555_d5e2aa607c_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="image"></a>

It sits almost perfectly level...
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/125901707@N02/15037942562" title="Untitled by Dakota Sharpe, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3870/15037942562_08089b7989_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Untitled"></a>

 

[nevada]

that's pretty tall. limit the suspension, or drop the diff some more.

as the tire drops, its pulling the cv out of the diff. I expect it will happen again. I think you got lucky this time and didn't damage anything, but if it happens under power it might be bad....

 

[JBurt]

Can you post a pic of your cv angle?